Music, Martinis and Misanthropy

Music, Martinis and Misanthropy
Studio album and spoken word by Boyd Rice and Friends
Released	1990, 2003
Recorded	Denver, Tokyo, 1989-1990
Genre	Neofolk, spoken word, experimental, black comedy
Length	40:49
Label	NER

Music, Martinis and Misanthropy is a mellow, neofolk and spoken word album that combines acoustic and electronic instrumentation with brutal, Social Darwinist lyrics and poetry. It was created by pioneer noise artist Boyd Rice and an assortment of dark folk all stars. Bob Ferbrache is the recording engineer.

It was recorded in Tokyo, Japan and Denver, Colorado between July, 1989 and March, 1990 for NER/Tesco.

The lineup for this album was:

• Boyd Rice-- vocals
• Douglas P. of Death In June--Guitar, backing vocals
• Tony Wakeford of Sol Invictus and L'Orchestre Noir--Bass Guitar
• Rose McDowall (site) of Strawberry Switchblade, Spell, and Sorrow--Guitar and backing vocals
• Michael Moynihan of Blood Axis--drums
• Bob Ferbrache--Piano, Surf Zither

This album is considered a classic, yet defies easy categorization. The music is lilting, hypnotic, and aesthetically quite pleasing to the ear. It features restructurings of works by The Carpenters, Rod McKuen, and Ragnar Redbeard, as well as original vitriolic and humanist pieces and misanthropic tunes by Rice. There is also a plaintive duet of sorts between Rice and McDowall (who would later record an album of suicide songs under the name of Spell) on the traditional murder ballad, "Down in the Willow Garden". A great deal of the music was arranged by Douglas P. in collaboration with Rice and Ferbrache.

This album was inspired by Rod McKuen's spoken word albums and Jackie Gleason's romantic recordings from the 1950's. The title and album cover are a tribute to Gleasons's album, Music, Martinis, and Memories. The liner notes thank Anton LaVey, Rod McKuen, Ragnar Redbeard, Lee Hazlewood, Pat Purdy, Richard and Karen C., The Everly Brothers' Father, Walt Disney, Artie De Gobineau and "Big" Jim Huberty.

Tracks

1. Invocation (a cover of the opening track of The Carpenters Ticket to Ride album) 2:23
2. People (requests the return of Vlad the Impaler, Genghis Khan, Roi D'Ys, Ayatollah Khomeini, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Nero, Diocletian, and Kitchener to cull humanity's stupid, lying, slow, and ugly). 6:07
3. The Hunter (a quote from Anton LaVey) 0:47
4. Nightwatch (a poem from the album "Home to the Sea" by Rod McKuen with Anita Kerr & San Sebastian Strings) 3:07
5. Disneyland can Wait (a promise to take us on Disneyland's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, after we've used the 357 Magnum, AK-47, and B-52 loaded with Neutron bombs he buys us to deal with the souless, imaginationless, worthless, irredeemable, "lifeless shuffling horde".) 3:26
6. An Eye for an Eye (passage from Redbeard's Might is Right) 5:10
7. Down in the Willow Garden (a murder ballad) 2:56
8. I'd Rather be Your Enemy (a cover of a song by Lee Hazlewood) 1:41
9. Tripped a Beauteous Maiden (a poem found in Might is Right) 0:37
10. As for the Fools 5:25
11. Shadows of the Night (utilizes an SS march) 2:40
12. History Lesson (takes a quote from Heraclitus)3:27
13. Silence is Golden 2:19

• Bonus track (available on reissue CD/picture disc) A sample of "one of the survivors of the Columbine shooting" played backwards to reveal: "Boyd Rice is the one who did it".

Related information

• Live in Osaka (DVD) --Features a concert performance from Osaka, Japan, in 1989, with Michael Moynihan, Tony Wakeford, Douglas P., and Rose McDowell. Also includes films Invocation (One) and Black Sun.

External links

• mp3 samples from the album
• Interview with Rice wherein the album is discussed. (currently offline)